Last week we were on our summer holiday and paid a visit to Whitby. As usual I would pre pack lunch and extra snacks for Jasmine because it is very rare these days that we can find a restaurant that can cater for her multiple allergies and Coeliac Disease, we went into a few of the Fish and Chip shops and weren't surprised when we were told they could not cater for Jasmine. We had a few of the typical responses like 'eat here at your own risk' or 'we cannot guarantee there won't be any cross contamination'. So, when we stumbled upon a signboard that read 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips served here' we got a tiny bit excited!
My first question up on entering the restaurant was to find out if they had any form of peanuts or nuts on the premises, as Jasmine also reacts to airborne particles, asvwell as having a contact allergy on top of the usual ingesting allergy type, the answer would determine if we could consider eating there or not.
Luckily it was a nut free establishment. We all went inside and spoke to a lovely waitress named Ashley, she went through the allergy book with us and when she didn't know the answer to our questions, she consulted with a colleague and the kitchen staff to ensure she came back with the correct answer. Ashley even took the time to let Jasmine read the ingredients of the Gluten Free batter to ensure it didn't contain any of her allergens and she really helped to settle Jasmines anxiety. Ashley then double checked with her colleague who brought the container of the batter to us and we were able to triple check it was safe. Ashley then went to the kitchen staff to confirm the fryer used wouldn't be contaminated with any other allergen and then we decided to eat in!!
We were shown to our table where I re wiped the table and chairs (they were already very clean) to eliminate any risk of cross contamination of allergens and doing this takes a great burden off Jasmines shoulders in terms of her anxiety.
We all sat down and Ashley brought over a children's menu and she showed us she could adapt the children's meal to suit Jasmines requirements.
Throughout our visit three members of staff continuously approached us to make sure Jasmine was safe and happy, it was wonderful!
It is very rare we find a safe place to eat as a family but to find a safe place with staff that were super caring and compassionate was nothing short of amazing. Finding Mister Chips in Whitby was truly a hidden gem for us, but to leave there with Jasmine safe, well and happy was truly an achievement.
Thank you to everyone at Mister Chips for providing a safe, enjoyable and relaxing environment for Jasmine.
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